Unloading apparatus for automotive trucks



March 7, 195G L. B. WRIGHT UNLOADING APPARATUS FOR AUTOMOTIVE TRUCKS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 12, 1947 Lloyd 8. Wright IN V EN TOR.

Mirchfi i95 L. B. WRIGHT 2,499 442 UNLOADING APPARATUS FOR AUTOMOTIVE TRUCKS Filed Dec. 12, 1947 3 Sheets-sheaf, 2

March 7, 1950 L. B. WRIGHT 'UNLOADING APPARATUS FOR AUTOMOTIVE muons 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 12, 1947 m /m A "E ww ma a %M 0 m M u w v\ 2m Patented Mar. 7, 1950 'nlos'i li wright, same-wash. Anpl'icationIDecemher 12, 1947,,sefia1JNo': 19L239 :S/GIaimS,

My invention relates to improvements inunloading apparatus -for*automotive'triicks f-the flat bed type, espeeially;- "although fiot 'iices "sarily. J I

The primary object army jnventibn 1s te proa vide a simply constructedy-easily handled;-'appa- 'ratus adapted for installation on present'dayflat bed automotive trucks without "changing the truck and which is especially desi nfed for unloading from eitherside or' the-"ba'clt'o'f theb'e'ds at different locations'along jthesam'e.

Another object is to provide apparatus bf the character andior thepur'pose above set forth which is Well-adapted to withstand'lhng' use; requires a minimum of-servicingy and comparatively'inexpensive 'to manufacture install.

Other and subordinate 1 olij eats; also withinthe purview of my invention; together with thep'recise nature of my improvements, will -beh eadily understood when the su'cceedifig de I and claims are read with reference "tofthe drawings accompanying and running part crane-specification.

Figure- 1 is a view "in side elevatibmoh afiat bed automotive-truck'-equipped with 'zny-improvd unload ng apparatus in a preferred embodiment thereof;

Figure 2 is a view in plan drawn to a larger scale and partly breken -away;

Figure-3 B 'a view iri'v'eiftial trafisverse section taken on 'the l-ine '3"3 of 'gi'z're 2;

Figure l'is'a view' in ve i'eal long itudinalsection taken "onthe' line 4- 4 ofFigi'lie '3;

- Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in vrtical -"section taken on' the line 5'-'-5'--of"Fig ure' 4 and di'awn to a-larger scale;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary'view"Iin perspective of the" turn" table member "and the T annular track brokenawayto'show the' 'r neans for indunting'said member on said" track;

Figure'7 is a fragmentary View wee-racemes verse section taken on the -line "l-""'llef- -Fl'g ure 'li and drawn 'to a larger "scale Figure 8 is a rragmentary view inperspectlve; partly in section; oT 'the tiirn "table: er; crane-arm, 1 and' 'the erane arm'{carriage p lily broken'away; I

Figure!) is' a fra'gmentar'y viwizfvertlal tresscrane armcarriage; the -turn table.rfieinbe nd thecranearm illustrati-ng the the turn table member and ane a bolts and the- 'spacing} slt'z'lre at "Referring to the-drawings by numerals, "the au'tomotive truck I shown asequippedfwith my i'rnprovedapparatus is of the well kn'own four 'wheel drive type embodying a drivers cab 2, front steering wheels 3, rear "drivingwheelsl'and flatbed 5 in the rear of" the cab 2, The bed 5 is*supported by longitudinal bed beams 6' with underlying cross bolsters 1' "mounted on chassis side bars 8. Channel beams"9 extending along =11) the sides 'of'the bed '5 areprovidedwith'the usual l"or'i'gitud nally spacedso'cket straps II'I for at-- taching' side stakes, not'shown; to said bed. 'Flat rails forprotective purposes extend" alongside the beamss and are suitablyatta'ched to the straps I5 "IOwith uppera'nd lower edges "free'so thatthe same are available for use'as 'tra'ck rails- H extending along 'thesides of the bed 5* in spaced relation thereto;

According-to1ny invention, a main carriage I2 #20 'is prov'ided 'to travel longitudinally of the bed*5 and" comprises an annular channel iron track I 3 o'f"-"at least the "same outside diameter as the 'overalrwiath of the bed" 5, andwith the channelinne'rmost, sa d track bing supported at 35 -a suitableheig'ht above thebed 5, and centered in the longitudinal centerof said bed, by channel iron legs I4 extending from the outer'side of'the track 13 in'QOdegree'anguIar relation around the same to "form pa rs atopposite'sides of the bed" 5 upstanding for the'grea'ter' portion of their length perpendicular to'the plane of said bed.

Foot plates I5 'to'which'the lower ends of sa d "legs" lfare suitably secured by bolts l5 extend in upright'position'along the outer sides of the trackrails I I and are equipped-with upper and lower grooved rollers I6 running on the free longitudinal edges of the track rails' I I, as best shown in Figure 5;'so that thecarriage I 2 may be shoved b ak 'alid Tdrth along Saidbed 5.

An I-beam turn table' member I! is mounted in 'tlieannuIar'tTack f3, diametrically thereof, to revolve 'sidewise horizontally in the same and by ine'ansof apair of arcuate end plates I8 and angle filatesi'l 9,best shown in Figure 6, bolted to 145 p'ppo'site' sides oisa-id' beam, agar-2 0 and together,

as at =21, ".theend 'plates I8 "having upper and lower rollers '22, 23 thereon fitt ng in the channel 'or sa'iatmkqa The rollers'2l, Z ZaremOImted .oirtliie"plates I 8 hy-boltsMwith a spacing sleeve, as t 24",; on saidbolts betweensaid' rollers 2| and'p'l'ates IB a's-shdwn' for instance in Figure .7.

' Beneath the-'r-beaniiturntable member I'Ian'd paralleltherewith an 'I be'am crane arm 25 I sameness, V [cm asaidg-fmember "IT for endwise tmvenfiemdvemm 4 horizontally vie'lt'tti've to the main carriage l2 by means of a crane arm carriage 26 now to be described.

The crane carriage 26, as best shown in Figure 8, comprises a pair of channel side plates 21 parallel to the turn table member I! and crane arm 25 and spaced apart laterally upon opposite sides of said member I! and crane arm 25, with channel sides facing, and upper and lower flanges 28, 29 extending into the channels of said member l1 and said crane arm 25 for a purpose presently seen. Cross bolts, as at 30, extending between the turn table member l1 and the crane arm 25, with spacing sleeves 3| thereon, as shown in Figure 9, secure said plates 21 together in laterally spaced relation. At each end thereof, and upon opposite sides of the same, the crane arm carriage 26 is provided with a hand crank,'designated at 3|, 32, respectively,'and best shown in Figure 3. The hand cranks 3!, 32 are fastened on horizontal shafts 33, 34 journalled in the cheek plates 21. The shafts 33, 34 have fastened thereon gear pinions 35, 36. The gear pinion 36 meshes with a rack bar 31 on the bottom flange of the turn table member H and thereby serves to suspend the crane carriage 26 at one end from said member I! on one side thereof. A roller 38 in said carriage 26 at the other end thereof rides on the bottom flange of the turn table member l1 and suspends said carriage 26 at the other end thereof from said member H on the other side thereof. The gear pinion 36 on the shaft 34 meshes with a rack bar 39 on the upper flange of the crane arm 25, at one side of said arm, and which is best shown in Figure 8. A roller 40 in said carriage 26 at the end thereof opposite the gear pinion 36 rides against the upper flange of the crane arm 25.

As will now be seen, the crane arm carriage 26 is suspended on the lower flange of the turn table member I! at opposite sides and ends of said carriage by the gear pinion 35 and the roller 38, and said carriage 26 may be caused. to travel along the turn table member l1 by operation of the hand crank 3! to feed the crane arm 25 with said carriage 26 endwise along said member !1. I

The crane arm 25 is suspended from the crane arm carriage 26 by the gear pinion 36 and the roller 40 and may be fed endwise in said carriage 26 by operation of the hand crank 32 so that said crane arm 25 is endwise movable relative to the crane arm carriage 26, or, in other words, independently of said carriage.

A chain hoist carriage M of channel bar construction travels on the bottom flange of the crane arm 25 with rollers 42 thereon riding on the bottom flange, whereby said carriage 4| may be rolled along said crane arm 25.

A chain hoist 43, of the usual construction, is suspended by an I-bolt 44 from the bottom of the chain hoist carriage M.

The manner in which my invention is designed to be used and operated will be readily understood. Suifice it to explain, as an example, that with a load, not shown, attached to the chain hoist 43 and lifted clear of the bed 5 thereby, the

main carriage 12 may be rolled along the bed- 5 for. unloading at a desired point along the bed! in at the rear of said bed. The turntable member I! may be revolved to position the crane'arm 25 for projection beyond the-selectedside, or the end of said bed 5. The "chain hoist carriage 4! may then be rolled along the'crane arm 25" to run the load to whichever end of the crane arm 3 h t it i d s e s Las nnnl acIms end.-

.Th crane arm Qa ase.- 26-:max.be-ied;browse: 1

tion of the hand crank 3| toward said end of the crane arm 25 as far as desired. The crane arm 25 may be fed independently of the crane arm carriage 26 to extend the same outwardly beyond the selected side, or the rear end of the bed 5 to the extent desired and by operation of the hand crank 32. Such operations may be varied and other operations perform with the described apparatus, as will be manifest, but it is not deemed necessary to a proper understanding of the invention to describe the same.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suffice to impart a clear understanding of my invention, without further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. Apparatus of the class described comprising a main carriage including side pairs of legs adapted to be mounted at lower ends thereof at opposite sides of a truck bed for rolling of said carriage along said bed, an annular horizontal track supported by said legs, a turntable member mounted in said track to be revolved therein, a crane arm carriage movable on said turntable member horizontally, a crane arm suspended by said carriage for endwise movement horizontally therewith and endwise movable independently in the same, a hoist, and means to mount said hoist on said crane arm.

2. Apparatus of the class described comprising a main carriage including side pairs of legs adapted to be mounted at lower ends thereof at opposite sides of a-truck bed for rolling of said carriage along said bed, an annular horizontal track supported by said legs, a' turntable member mounted in said track to be revolved therein, a crane arm carriage movable on said turntable member horizontally, a crane arm suspended by said carriage for endwise movement horizontally therewith and endwise movable independently in the-same, a hoist, and means to mount said hoist on said crane arm comprising a hoist carriage mounted on said crane arm to travel along the same.

3. Apparatus of the class described comprising a main carriage including side pairs of legs adapted to be mounted at lower ends thereof at opposite sides of a truck bed for rolling of said carriage along said bed, an annular horizontal track supported by said legs, a turntable member mounted in said track to be revolved therein, a crane arm carriage movable on said turntable member horizontal1y,'a crane arm suspended by said carriage for endwise movement horizontally therewith and-endwise movable independently in the same, a hoist, means to mount said hoist on said crane'arm, and crank operative means for movingsaid carriage.

4. Apparatus of the class described comprising a main carriage j including side pairs of legs adapted to be'moun'ted at lower ends thereof at opposite sides of; a truck bed for rolling of said carriage along said bed, an annular horizontal track supported by saidlegs,- a turntable member mounted-in saidtrack to be revolved therein, a-crane'ar-m carriage movable on said turntable horizontally,-a crane armsuspended by said carriage for endwise movement horizontally therewii e-andsndwis .mmMei d d h same, crank operative m'eapgfor moyinggsaid adapted to be mounted at lower ends thereof at 5 opposite sides of a truck bed for rolling of said carriage along said bed, an annular horizontal track supported by said legs, a turntable member mounted in said track to be revolved therein, a crane arm carriage movable on said turntable horizontally, a crane arm suspended by said carriage for endwise movement horizontally therewith and endwise movable independently in the same, crank operative means for moving said carriage, crank operative means for moving said crane arm independently, a hoist, and a hoist carriage mounted on said crane arm to travel along the same.

LLOYD B. WRIGHT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Number Name Date 1,670,733 Moore May 22, 1928 1,748,708 Fitch Feb. 25, 1930 2,156,424 Barnard May 2, 1939 2,292,870 Dixon Aug. 11, 1942 Priester July 29, 1947 

